The warlocks and ghosts of fantasy film haunt our popular culture, but the genre has too long been ignored by critics. This comprehensive critical survey of fantasy cinema demonstrates that the fantasy genre amounts to more than escapism. Through a meticulously researched analysis of over a century of fantasy pictures - from the seminal work of Georges Melies to Peter Jackson's recent tours of Middle Earth - the work identifies narrative strategies and their recurring components and studies patterns of challenge and return, setting and character. First, addressing the difficult task of defining the genre, the work examines fantasy as a cultural force in both film and literature and explores its relation to science fiction, horror, and fairy tales. Fantasy's development is traced from the first days of film, with emphasis on how the evolving genre reflected such events as economic depression and war. Also considered is fantasy's expression of politics, as either the subject of satire or fuel for the fires of propaganda. Discussion ventures into the subgenres, from stories of invented lands inhabited by fantastic creatures to magical adventures set in the familiar world, and addresses clashes between fantasy and faith, such as the religious opposition to the Harry Potter phenomenon. From the money-making classics to little-known arthouse films, this richly illustrated work covers every aspect of fantasy film. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780786423248 20160528

Locating fantasy

The birth of fantasy cinema

Fairy tales

Earthbound fantasy

Heroic fantasy

Epic fantasy.

The warlocks and ghosts of fantasy film haunt our popular culture, but the genre has too long been ignored by critics. This comprehensive critical survey of fantasy cinema demonstrates that the fantasy genre amounts to more than escapism. Through a meticulously researched analysis of over a century of fantasy pictures - from the seminal work of Georges Melies to Peter Jackson's recent tours of Middle Earth - the work identifies narrative strategies and their recurring components and studies patterns of challenge and return, setting and character. First, addressing the difficult task of defining the genre, the work examines fantasy as a cultural force in both film and literature and explores its relation to science fiction, horror, and fairy tales. Fantasy's development is traced from the first days of film, with emphasis on how the evolving genre reflected such events as economic depression and war. Also considered is fantasy's expression of politics, as either the subject of satire or fuel for the fires of propaganda. Discussion ventures into the subgenres, from stories of invented lands inhabited by fantastic creatures to magical adventures set in the familiar world, and addresses clashes between fantasy and faith, such as the religious opposition to the Harry Potter phenomenon. From the money-making classics to little-known arthouse films, this richly illustrated work covers every aspect of fantasy film. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780786423248 20160528

"The birth of modern fantasy in 1930s Britain and America saw the development of new literary and film genres. The work of extraordinary people who lived in an extraordinary decade, this modern fantasy canon still provides source material for the most successful literary and film franchises of the 21st century"-- Provided by publisher.

Introduction

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892/1973)

The Lord of the Rings

Robert E. Howard (1906/1936)

Conan

Superman

The inheritors

Conclusion.

"The birth of modern fantasy in 1930s Britain and America saw the development of new literary and film genres. The work of extraordinary people who lived in an extraordinary decade, this modern fantasy canon still provides source material for the most successful literary and film franchises of the 21st century"-- Provided by publisher.

The Fantasy Film provides a clear and compelling overview of this revitalized and explosively popular film genre. Includes analyses of a wide range of films, from early classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Harvey to Spiderman and Shrek, and blockbuster series such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Harry Potter films Provides in-depth historical and critical overviews of the genre Fully illustrated with screen shots from key films. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9781405168793 20160604

The Fantasy Film provides a clear and compelling overview of this revitalized and explosively popular film genre. Includes analyses of a wide range of films, from early classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Harvey to Spiderman and Shrek, and blockbuster series such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Harry Potter films Provides in-depth historical and critical overviews of the genre Fully illustrated with screen shots from key films. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9781405168793 20160604

Introduction: Finding Fantasy Janet K. Halfyard 1 Fantasy and the Exotic Other: The Films of Ray Harryhausen Mark Brill, University of Texas, San Antonio 2 Numinous Ambience: Spirituality, Dreamtimes and Fantastic Aboriginality Philip Hayward, Southern Cross University, Australia 3 Who Wants to Live Forever: Glam Rock, Queen and Fantasy Film J. Drew Stephen, University of Texas, San Antonio 4 Fantasy Meets Electronica: Legend and the Music of Tangerine Dream Lee Barron, Northumbria University 5 Entering the Labyrinth: How Henson and Bowie Created a Musical Fantasy Liz Giuffre, Macquarie University 6 Superman as Mythic Narrative: Music, Romanticism and the 'Oneiric Climate' Ben Winters, Christ Church, University of Oxford 7 Music and Fantasy Types in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands Alexander G. Binns, University of Hull 8 The Tritone Within: Interpreting Harmony in Elliot Goldenthal's Score for Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Scott Murphy, University of Kansas 9 Scoring Fantasy Girls: Music and Female Agency in Indiana Jones and The Mummy films Janet K. Halfyard and Victoria Hancock 10 Creating Magic with Music: The Changing Dramatic Relationship between Music and Magic in Harry Potter Films Jamie L. Webster 11 Superconductors: Music, fantasy and science in The Sorcerer's Apprentice Janet K. Halfyard.

(source: Nielsen Book Data)9781908049933 20160609

Fantasy has had a modern resurgence in cinema due largely to the success of superhero narratives and the two major fantasy series, the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Often regarded as mere escapism, this genre has been neglected as the subject of serious academic work. This volume explores the way in which music and sound articulate the fantastic in cinema and contribute to the creation of fantasy narratives. Fantasy invokes the magical within its narratives as the means by which to achieve what would be impossible in our own reality, as compared to sci-fi's as-yet unknown technologies and horror's dark and deadly supernatural forces. Fantasy remains problematic, however, because it defies many of the conventional mechanisms by which genre is defined such as setting, mood and audience. In a way quite unlike its co-genres, fantasy moves with infinite flexibility between locations - the world (almost) as we know it, historical, futuristic or mythic locations; between moods - heroic, epic, magical; and between audiences - children, teens, adults. In English-language cinema, it encompasses the grand mythic narratives of Lord of the Rings, Legend and The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, the heroic narratives of Superman, Flash Gordon and Indiana Jones and the magical narratives of Labyrinth, Edward Scissorhands and the Harry Potter series, to name just some of films that typify the variety that the genre offers. What these films all have in common is a requirement that the audience accepts the a fundamental break with reality within the diegesis of the filmic narrative, and embraces magic in its many and various forms, sometimes benign, sometimes not. This volume examines music in fantasy cinema across a broad historical perspective, from Bernard Herrmann's scores for Ray Harryhausen, through the popular music scores of the 1980s to contemporary scores for films such as The Mummy and the Harry Potter series, allowing the reader to see not only the way that the musical strategies of fantasy scoring have changed over time but also to appreciate the inventiveness of composers such as Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman and Elliot Goldenthal, and popular musicians such as Queen and David Bowie in evoking the mythic, the magical and the monstrous in their music for fantasy film. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9781908049933 20160609

Introduction: Finding Fantasy Janet K. Halfyard 1 Fantasy and the Exotic Other: The Films of Ray Harryhausen Mark Brill, University of Texas, San Antonio 2 Numinous Ambience: Spirituality, Dreamtimes and Fantastic Aboriginality Philip Hayward, Southern Cross University, Australia 3 Who Wants to Live Forever: Glam Rock, Queen and Fantasy Film J. Drew Stephen, University of Texas, San Antonio 4 Fantasy Meets Electronica: Legend and the Music of Tangerine Dream Lee Barron, Northumbria University 5 Entering the Labyrinth: How Henson and Bowie Created a Musical Fantasy Liz Giuffre, Macquarie University 6 Superman as Mythic Narrative: Music, Romanticism and the 'Oneiric Climate' Ben Winters, Christ Church, University of Oxford 7 Music and Fantasy Types in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands Alexander G. Binns, University of Hull 8 The Tritone Within: Interpreting Harmony in Elliot Goldenthal's Score for Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Scott Murphy, University of Kansas 9 Scoring Fantasy Girls: Music and Female Agency in Indiana Jones and The Mummy films Janet K. Halfyard and Victoria Hancock 10 Creating Magic with Music: The Changing Dramatic Relationship between Music and Magic in Harry Potter Films Jamie L. Webster 11 Superconductors: Music, fantasy and science in The Sorcerer's Apprentice Janet K. Halfyard.

(source: Nielsen Book Data)9781908049933 20160609

Fantasy has had a modern resurgence in cinema due largely to the success of superhero narratives and the two major fantasy series, the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Often regarded as mere escapism, this genre has been neglected as the subject of serious academic work. This volume explores the way in which music and sound articulate the fantastic in cinema and contribute to the creation of fantasy narratives. Fantasy invokes the magical within its narratives as the means by which to achieve what would be impossible in our own reality, as compared to sci-fi's as-yet unknown technologies and horror's dark and deadly supernatural forces. Fantasy remains problematic, however, because it defies many of the conventional mechanisms by which genre is defined such as setting, mood and audience. In a way quite unlike its co-genres, fantasy moves with infinite flexibility between locations - the world (almost) as we know it, historical, futuristic or mythic locations; between moods - heroic, epic, magical; and between audiences - children, teens, adults. In English-language cinema, it encompasses the grand mythic narratives of Lord of the Rings, Legend and The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, the heroic narratives of Superman, Flash Gordon and Indiana Jones and the magical narratives of Labyrinth, Edward Scissorhands and the Harry Potter series, to name just some of films that typify the variety that the genre offers. What these films all have in common is a requirement that the audience accepts the a fundamental break with reality within the diegesis of the filmic narrative, and embraces magic in its many and various forms, sometimes benign, sometimes not. This volume examines music in fantasy cinema across a broad historical perspective, from Bernard Herrmann's scores for Ray Harryhausen, through the popular music scores of the 1980s to contemporary scores for films such as The Mummy and the Harry Potter series, allowing the reader to see not only the way that the musical strategies of fantasy scoring have changed over time but also to appreciate the inventiveness of composers such as Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman and Elliot Goldenthal, and popular musicians such as Queen and David Bowie in evoking the mythic, the magical and the monstrous in their music for fantasy film. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9781908049933 20160609

1. Settings, Spectacle, and the Other: Picturing Disgust in Jackson's The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 2. Bewitching, Abject, Uncanny: Magical Spectacle in the Harry Potter Films 3. Pirate Politics and the Spectacle of the Other: Pirates of the Caribbean 4. Resurrection, Anthropomorphism, and Cold War Echoes in Adamson's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 5. The Aesthetics of Trauma: Temporality and Multidirectional Memory in Pan's Labyrinth 6. Reframing the Cold War in the Twenty-First Century: Action, Nostalgia, and Nuclear Holocaust in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 7. The Ecstasy of Chaos: Mediating 9/11, Terrorism, and Trauma in The Dark Knight 8. Wounding, Morality, and Torture: Reflections of the War on Terror in Iron Man and Iron Man 2 9. Shock and Awe: Terror, Technology, and the Sublime Nature of Cameron's Avatar.

(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780230392120 20160611

Examining a range of popular fantasy films released in the past decade, including the Harry Potter films, Jackson's Lord of the Rings series, and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies through to The Dark Knight and Avatar, this book explores the reasons for these films' incredible success. Pheasant-Kelly explores the meaningfulness of such films to current audiences while considering how technology, spectacle, and an increasing affinity for magic and mysticism have been important in promoting the turn to fantasy. The imagery and themes reflecting 9/11, new millennial anxieties, the war on terror, and environmental disasters have furthered fantasy's rise to dominance. Fantasies offer ways to subconsciously re-enact or work through traumatic memories of these issues for viewers reluctant to witness real images of death and destruction. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780230392120 20160611

1. Settings, Spectacle, and the Other: Picturing Disgust in Jackson's The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 2. Bewitching, Abject, Uncanny: Magical Spectacle in the Harry Potter Films 3. Pirate Politics and the Spectacle of the Other: Pirates of the Caribbean 4. Resurrection, Anthropomorphism, and Cold War Echoes in Adamson's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 5. The Aesthetics of Trauma: Temporality and Multidirectional Memory in Pan's Labyrinth 6. Reframing the Cold War in the Twenty-First Century: Action, Nostalgia, and Nuclear Holocaust in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 7. The Ecstasy of Chaos: Mediating 9/11, Terrorism, and Trauma in The Dark Knight 8. Wounding, Morality, and Torture: Reflections of the War on Terror in Iron Man and Iron Man 2 9. Shock and Awe: Terror, Technology, and the Sublime Nature of Cameron's Avatar.

(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780230392120 20160611

Examining a range of popular fantasy films released in the past decade, including the Harry Potter films, Jackson's Lord of the Rings series, and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies through to The Dark Knight and Avatar, this book explores the reasons for these films' incredible success. Pheasant-Kelly explores the meaningfulness of such films to current audiences while considering how technology, spectacle, and an increasing affinity for magic and mysticism have been important in promoting the turn to fantasy. The imagery and themes reflecting 9/11, new millennial anxieties, the war on terror, and environmental disasters have furthered fantasy's rise to dominance. Fantasies offer ways to subconsciously re-enact or work through traumatic memories of these issues for viewers reluctant to witness real images of death and destruction. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780230392120 20160611

This work examines the symbolism of fantasy fiction, literal and figurative representation in fantastic film adaptations, and the imaginative differences between page and screen. Essays focus on movies adapted from various types of fantasy fiction - novels, short stories and graphic novels - and study the transformation and literal translation from text to film in the "Lord of the Rings" series, "The Chronicles of Narnia", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Howl's Moving Castle", "Finding Neverland", "The Wizard of Oz and the Broadway Adaptation Wicked", and "Practical Magic". (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780786430574 20160528

This work examines the symbolism of fantasy fiction, literal and figurative representation in fantastic film adaptations, and the imaginative differences between page and screen. Essays focus on movies adapted from various types of fantasy fiction - novels, short stories and graphic novels - and study the transformation and literal translation from text to film in the "Lord of the Rings" series, "The Chronicles of Narnia", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Howl's Moving Castle", "Finding Neverland", "The Wizard of Oz and the Broadway Adaptation Wicked", and "Practical Magic". (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780786430574 20160528

1: Fantasy Storytelling and Film 2: Theoretical Approaches to Fantasy in Film 3: Practical Magic: The Making of Fantasy Film 4: 'Once Upon Our Times ...' Journeys in Contemporary Fantasy Film.

(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780415486880 20160607

Fantasy addresses a previously neglected area within film studies. The book looks at the key aesthetics, themes, debates and issues at work within this popular genre and examines films and franchises that illustrate these concerns. Contemporary case studies include: Alice in Wonderland (2010) Avatar (2009) The Dark Knight (2008) Edward Scissorhands (1990) Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2007) Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) Shrek (2001) Twelve Monkeys (1995) The authors also consider fantasy film and its relationship to myth, legend and fairy tale, examining its important role in contemporary culture. The book provides an historical overview of the genre, its influences and evolution, placing fantasy film within the socio-cultural contexts of production and consumption and with reference to relevant theory and critical debates. This is the perfect introduction to the world of fantasy film and investigates the links between fantasy film and gender, fantasy film and race, fantasy film and psychoanalysis, fantasy film and technology, fantasy film storytelling and spectacle, fantasy film and realism, fantasy film and adaptation, and fantasy film and time. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780415486880 20160607

1: Fantasy Storytelling and Film 2: Theoretical Approaches to Fantasy in Film 3: Practical Magic: The Making of Fantasy Film 4: 'Once Upon Our Times ...' Journeys in Contemporary Fantasy Film.

(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780415486880 20160607

Fantasy addresses a previously neglected area within film studies. The book looks at the key aesthetics, themes, debates and issues at work within this popular genre and examines films and franchises that illustrate these concerns. Contemporary case studies include: Alice in Wonderland (2010) Avatar (2009) The Dark Knight (2008) Edward Scissorhands (1990) Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2007) Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) Shrek (2001) Twelve Monkeys (1995) The authors also consider fantasy film and its relationship to myth, legend and fairy tale, examining its important role in contemporary culture. The book provides an historical overview of the genre, its influences and evolution, placing fantasy film within the socio-cultural contexts of production and consumption and with reference to relevant theory and critical debates. This is the perfect introduction to the world of fantasy film and investigates the links between fantasy film and gender, fantasy film and race, fantasy film and psychoanalysis, fantasy film and technology, fantasy film storytelling and spectacle, fantasy film and realism, fantasy film and adaptation, and fantasy film and time. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780415486880 20160607

The promise of miracles : technology and class conflict in The Wizard of Oz

Monsters from the Middle East : Ray Harryhausen's Sinbad trilogy

Dragon ladies : fantasy film and "family values"

Monstrous minds : fantasy film and mental illness

Seeing things : the "freak" on film

Monsters' end?

The canon of popular cinema has long been rife with fantastic tales, yet critical studies have too often expediently mixed the fantasy genre with its kindred science fiction and horror films or dismissed it altogether as escapist fare. Framing Monsters: Fantasy Film and Social Alienation reconsiders the cultural significance of this storytelling mode by investigating how films seemingly divorced from reality and presented in a context of timelessness are, in fact, encoded with the social beliefs of their era of production. Situating representative fantasy films within their cultural moments, Joshua David Bellin illustrates how fantastic visions of monstrous others seek to propagate negative stereotypes of despised groups and support invidious hierarchies of social control. Beginning with celebrated classics, Bellin locates King Kong (1933) within the era of lynching to evince how the film protects whiteness against supposed aggressions of a black predator and reviews The Wizard of Oz (1939) as a product of the Depression's economic anxieties. From there, the study moves to the animated cult classic Sinbad Trilogy (1958-1977) of Ray Harryhausen, films rampant with xenophobic fears of the Middle East as relevant today as when the series was originally produced. Advancing to more recent subjects, Bellin focuses on the image of the monstrous woman and the threat of reproductive freedom found in Aliens (1986), Jurassic Park (1993), and Species (1995) and on depictions of the mentally ill as dangerous deviants in 12 Monkeys (1996) and The Cell (2000). An investigation into physical freakishness guides his approach to Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Beauty and the Beast (1991). He concludes with a discussion of X-Men (2000) and Lord of the Rings (2001-2003), commercial giants that extend a recent trend toward critical self-reflection within the genre while still participating in the continuity of social alienation. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780809326242 20160528

Monsters of our making

Killing the beast : King Kong in black and white

The promise of miracles : technology and class conflict in The Wizard of Oz

Monsters from the Middle East : Ray Harryhausen's Sinbad trilogy

Dragon ladies : fantasy film and "family values"

Monstrous minds : fantasy film and mental illness

Seeing things : the "freak" on film

Monsters' end?

The canon of popular cinema has long been rife with fantastic tales, yet critical studies have too often expediently mixed the fantasy genre with its kindred science fiction and horror films or dismissed it altogether as escapist fare. Framing Monsters: Fantasy Film and Social Alienation reconsiders the cultural significance of this storytelling mode by investigating how films seemingly divorced from reality and presented in a context of timelessness are, in fact, encoded with the social beliefs of their era of production. Situating representative fantasy films within their cultural moments, Joshua David Bellin illustrates how fantastic visions of monstrous others seek to propagate negative stereotypes of despised groups and support invidious hierarchies of social control. Beginning with celebrated classics, Bellin locates King Kong (1933) within the era of lynching to evince how the film protects whiteness against supposed aggressions of a black predator and reviews The Wizard of Oz (1939) as a product of the Depression's economic anxieties. From there, the study moves to the animated cult classic Sinbad Trilogy (1958-1977) of Ray Harryhausen, films rampant with xenophobic fears of the Middle East as relevant today as when the series was originally produced. Advancing to more recent subjects, Bellin focuses on the image of the monstrous woman and the threat of reproductive freedom found in Aliens (1986), Jurassic Park (1993), and Species (1995) and on depictions of the mentally ill as dangerous deviants in 12 Monkeys (1996) and The Cell (2000). An investigation into physical freakishness guides his approach to Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Beauty and the Beast (1991). He concludes with a discussion of X-Men (2000) and Lord of the Rings (2001-2003), commercial giants that extend a recent trend toward critical self-reflection within the genre while still participating in the continuity of social alienation. (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780809326242 20160528